Arctic Peoples

by Clive Tesar & Gunn-Britt Retter 

The Saami Council has given its annual book prize to the author of a children’s novel that contains some decidedly grown-up ideas. Elle Marja Vars was presented with the prize at a ceremony during the Saami Council ’s meeting in Unjárga / Nesseby, in Saami traditional territory in northern Norway.

Vars’ book (pictured here with the author) translates as “The World’s Laziest Man”. The book describes a man who lives simply, and only ever takes and uses as much as he needs. People from the Finnmark area, which is home to many Saami, are often described as lazy by people in southern Norway. Vars gently examines this idea, showing that her character is not really lazy, but a man who lives according to traditional values, who lives sustainably and leaves little impact on the land.

This is Vars’ second Saami Council book prize, as she also won in the category of ‘children and youth books’ two years ago.